The girl next door
by Sassafras1009
Summary: Shortly after Aizen's defeat, twin boys were born in soul society. One to be raised as a soul reaper, the other to be raised as a human. Adrien's life was very isolating since his mother left, but one night he catches the sight of a teenage girl moving into one of the houses across the street. Who is she? rated M for some mentioning of violence and disturbing scenes. Bleach OC.
1. Prologue: How he ended

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug, or Bleach. I do not make a cent off of this story. The only thing I own are my original characters.

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The white haired woman looked down at the sleeping new born blonde boy, safely cradled in her arms. His tiny face scrunched up slightly before making a suckling motion, the woman smiled in spite of herself as she watched him, momentary a thought invaded her mind before she forced the intruding notion away from her. The baby, swaddled in various blankets to guard against the winter cold was to be raised elsewhere. His twin brother, who looked vastly different was wrapped in a similar fashion, eagerly devouring a bottle of reiatsu infused formula. The awake infant glanced over at her and even at this young age she could sense his reiatsu, he would grow up to be strong. Too strong to go where his brother was going. Was it a good idea to split them up? The thought intruded her mind again. She shook her head slightly as she forced the thought from her mind.

A male voice broke through her thoughts, "Tama?"

The white haired woman glanced at her childhood friend, a man of greater nobility, denoted by the expensive scarf worn around his neck, along with the fingerless white tekko that adorned his hands, and the three metal hair pieces called kenseikan in his hair. His steel grey eyes met her indigo blue and she let a soft sigh escape her.

"I worry for him," she confessed.

This did not surprise the man in the least, but instead caused him to offer a warm, gentle smile, an act that many would see as being unbecoming of him. He wasn't well known for showing his warmer side, the mere knowledge of that side of him existing was reserved only for those closest to him, who knew him well.

"I am uncertain of how successful this will be if their father escapes," the sixth squad Captain admitted.

He turned his attention back to the suckling infant in his own arms before continuing, "However, if we risk them both growing up here, in Soul Society, we risk not only our world, but the human world as well. It's our sworn duty to protect humans and soul society, alike, isn't it? Though he may not be of my lineage, neither is Rukia. I raised her, the best I could. I protected her as best as I could. I will do the same for this boy as if he were my own son. I take him as my son, and he will be raised as such."

Tama nodded a bit, inwardly wincing a bit as she felt her stomach churning, both from the thought of what they had to do as their sworn duty and a separate source. She relaxed once she felt her stomach settle without tossing, and mentally digested what her friend and superior had just said. He was right, of course. It was too dangerous to raise the both of the boys in soul society, though she gladly would've taken the weaker of the two on as her own. She also knew he was right about Rukia, his sister-in-law. Despite being a man of higher nobility, he had married a woman from Rukongai, someone who was as polar opposite in social status as you can possibly find, but he loved her. Loved her so dearly that when she confessed on her death bed to having abandoned a baby sister when she first came to soul society and that was the reason she often returned to the crime filled streets of Inuzuri in Rukongai to find her, he swore to her that he would find her sister, adopt her as his younger sister, raise, and protect her. He had done precisely that, Rukia was the apple of his eye. His one, true pride, the one person in soul society he openly protects directly. Even herself, having grown up with him on the Kuchiki grounds as his hired on bodyguard as children, and a friendship blossoming between them, he would only protect her indirectly through intensive training, but through his training she had managed to become the third seat of the second squad. A unit Captain, who heads the detention spire where the father of the infant boys was held, deep underground. She had recently put in a request to be transferred into the sixth squad, under the very Captain in front of her.

Byakuya's voice broke through her thoughts again, "Is that truly all that troubles you?"

Tama nodded for a moment, after realizing that the second wave of nausea was nothing more than nausea, the contents of her stomach would remain in place. Decidedly she answered, "Yes. I just- I wish I could adopt him as my own. Like you have for young Mamoru- I wish- I wish I could protect this child with my own life. Neither of these boys asked for their parentage it was fated to them. Just a cruel, ironic twist of destiny's hand for these innocent boys to be fathered by –" She swallowed, her voice softening to a near whisper, "- such a monster."

Her eyes betrayed her feelings all too well as a single tear slipped from her right eye, and rolled down her cheek, landing next to the sleeping baby's cheek. As if sensing her pain, the baby nuzzled in closer to her, gently cooing.

Byakuya studied the woman before him for a moment, before closing his eyes, "I wish we could chance that as well. The fact that Mamoru must never know of his brother weighs heavily on me. It's very similar to the promise I made to Hisana, that Rukia would never know of her. In the end, I couldn't keep that promise. I couldn't lie to my pride. Perhaps in time he will learn of his brother himself."

Tama looked to Byakuya, "You and I both know by the time Mamrou knows, his brother will have long passed on."

Byakuya was silent as he observed the child in Tama's arms, destined to grow up in the human world as one of them, in a specially designed gigai which would conceal his spiritual pressure, and turn him into a human.

"I think it's wrong to force that fate on him," Tama stated firmly.

The beginning of a sob caused her throat to tighten, "and yet—I'm hard pressed to see another way to protect everyone. It just isn't fair."

Byakuya did not respond, but instead changed the top by inquiring, "You have the miraculous to give to the humans?"

Tama nodded, biting her lip, "Yes. I suppose we should go. Madame and Monsieur Agreste will be waiting."

Byakuya gave a slight nod of his head, as he looked to the blonde haired child. As she walked by, Byakuya had a chance to place the now empty baby bottle down on the table, and gently took the young fair haired child's tiny hand into his own, as if willing some of his own resolve to transfer to the infant.

"Be blessed child. Defy your paternity and be just," he reminded the blond haired infant.

The baby responded to Byakuya's well wishes by rubbing the back of his hands against his face. Byakuya was torn as he simultaneously felt his heart leap and break. This may have been the decision of the majority of the Captains and Central 46, but that didn't mean by any sense that it sat right with him, yet like Tama, he saw no other way to ensure the safety of both worlds they'd vowed to protect, even at the cost of their own lives.

Minutes later Tama approached the Agreste Mansion in Paris France, far from Karakura Town Japan, and far enough, she hoped, from where Aizen would search for any descendants. The baby was now in a specialized gigai that would permit him to age, and grow as a normal human.

Charlotte Agreste a young red haired woman with sparkling sapphire blue eyes beamed with happiness at the sight of the baby.

"You're certain you're willing to take this on? You know the risks," Tama asked, assuring them as well as herself that they could still back out.

"Ten years of trying to have a child has been fruitless for us," Francois Agreste answered.

"We nearly had a son, years ago but—he was born too early to survive," Charlotte added as she held her arms out for the baby.

Tama carefully handed the young boy over to the woman he would now call his mother, the man beside her, now the boy's father, gently cradled his wife's arm from the side, looking at his new son adoringly.

Charlotte smiled delicately at the baby boy as she cuddled him close to herself while she gently cooed, "Welcome home, Alexandre. I'm going to be your maman. I will always, forever, protect you with everything I am, everything I have."

"I'm going to be your papa, I'll make sure you never want for anything, and teach you to do the same for your family," Francois added as he gently ran his fingers over the boy's soft blond peach fuzz on top of his head.

Tama felt her heart grow heavy as she held out two broaches, one which resembled a butterfly, and another which resembled a fanned peacock's tail.

"Speaking of that, these will help," Tama stated as she gave the broaches to Francois.

"They each have a kwami guardian… a sort of animalistic god like entity that will grant you power. By wearing the broaches you activate your Miraculous' Kwami, awakening them from slumber but—if those miraculous are ever stolen from you, you'll lose them. The butterfly Kwami is Nooroo, and the Peacock Kwami is Dasuu… they'll tell you more about themselves."

Francois nodded as he fastened the butterfly broach to his dress shirt and then concealed it with his tie.

Charlotte looked to Tama, tears shining in her eyes, "Thank you. Truly, Tama, thank you. You have no idea how much it means that you'd trust him to us."

Tama gave a small smile and nodded in the direction of baby Alexandre, "I'll be keeping an eye on him as well."

Charlotte smiled with a slight nod.

"This is the least I could do," Tama added.

The two humans looked to her, with inquisitive expressions.

Tama gave a soft smile before answering their silent question, "When the two of you took me in, and helped me recover after I was injured in that hollow attack. It's my duty to defend humans and whole spirits alike from hollows, whatever the cost. I've always been prepared to lay my life down for complete strangers. I never once expected that anyone in Paris would have the spiritual pressure you two possess… and I certainly wouldn't have expected you to open your door to a complete stranger, to nurse her back to health."

"You were very near death," Charlotte stated as she recalled that day, adding in, "And you rescued my sister. She gave birth to a little girl, shortly after. Do you recall?"

Tama nodded with a slight chuckle, "We'd told her that my name was Renee, and she named her daughter after me."

"As would I have, had I been my sister. My niece would never have been born if not for you. The least we could do was care for you when you were in need," Charlotte concluded.

Francois nodded in silent agreement with his wife.

Alexandre began to fuss in the blankets.

Tama gave a slight chuckle, "and parental duty summons you. Sounds like a hunger cry to me."

Charlotte beamed as she repositioned the baby so his head rested against her shoulder. She smiled at Tama again before turning and heading inside the Agreste Manor.

Francois gave Tama a deep bow before following his wife.

' _Such humble hosts they even learned about Japanese mannerisms while I was living with them,'_ Tama thought to herself as she looked over the mansion. The security in place would keep out any would be thieves… but hollows, Arrancar, Aizen…. Only the Miraculous and the soul society would be able to protect the baby against those.

Tama gently placed a hand over her stomach. She then realized with a start what was about to happen. She flash stepped to a bush, her stomach's contents emptying into the plant as rapidly as the intense nausea had washed over her.

' _Ugh, I hate being pregnant,'_ She thought to herself, gently wiping her mouth with a small cloth.

"Eat some bad sushi, did you?" A male voice inquired, lifting her hair back.

Tama froze for a moment before the sound of the voice registered.

"Following me, Abarai? I wouldn't want your wife getting the wrong idea," Tama replied.

Renji chuckled a bit as he shook his head 'no', "Nah. Rukia knows I only have eyes for her."

"Oh good," Tama replied, moving away from his grasp.

Renji thought quickly for a moment before his face deadpanned, and he glanced to her, "This isn't something you ate is it? You were prepared, with that cloth. You're pregnant?"

Tama looked over her shoulder at the sixth squad Lieutenant, "That stays between us. I haven't told the father yet."

Renji blinked a bit, "Tama- I know you're really independent and all but if there's another life inside of you—"

"Maybe more than just one other life," Tama interrupted.

She glanced up towards the sky, "I had a fraternal twin sister. She didn't live past childhood."

Renji's jaw dropped, and he began to focus, he then glanced to Tama realizing that she'd been concealing the spiritual pressure of her growing babies within her.

"How far along?"

Tama shrugged, "About two months. I'm unsure the father would even want to know."

"Let us help then? Let my Captain help," Renji offered.

Tama chuckled slightly before glancing at the red pineapple haired man, " _our_ Captain, you mean. I'll consider it."

~~~~100 years later in soul society ~~~~

Tama watched mindfully as Rin, Tomoya, Sora, and Mamoru played on the Kuchiki compound. As she had feared Mamoru possessed a striking resemblance to his biological father. He'd also formed a very close friendship with Tama's eldest daughter, Rin. She was the elder daughter by a mere 30 minutes, however, then came Sora and then Tomoya 30 minutes after her.

Tama observed the three children for a moment, decidedly her daughters, Rin and Sora had both inherited their father's light skin tone and his steel grey eyes, which she'd excused off by saying that her mother had grey eyes. It had been true, even still Rin was most definitely the female embodiment of her father, though Tama would never openly admit this. The father had caught on to her pregnancy, but also sensed that she was going to take on parenthood on her own and hadn't tried to change her mind. Rather than that, he'd agreed to be their guardian should anything happen to her, and was frequently present whenever they encountered an obstacle that they couldn't face alone and their mother was unable to assist with.

The girls also had their mother's snow white hair, and her fiery attitude. Tomoya had his mother's skin tone, his father's jet black hair, and his mother's blue eyes. She was happy that for at least this moment, Mamoru was, just as her own were, a normal child enjoying time with his peers.

Tama's brow furrowed slightly as she called out, "Kids, watch the river, please."

As she said this, Rin tripped and began to fall towards the river. Tama readied herself to flash step but stopped when she saw Mamoru had grabbed onto Rin's wrist and pulled her towards himself. They fell back onto the grass, Mamoru landing on his back, and Rin wrapped protectively within his arms.

Tama relaxed and let a relieved smile come to her face.

"Sorry," Rin mumbled, a slight blush to her face.

Mamoru chuckled a bit as he gently tilted Rin's face to look up to him, "Are you alright, my lady?"

Rin blushed even more fiercely and nodded, "I'm fine."

Mamoru smiled and nodded, "That's all that matters."

~~~~50 years later in soul society~~~~

150 year old Rin clutched her Zanpakuto as she looked at her best friend, he'd blocked her from attacking directly. The chestnut haired boy with chocolate eyes watched as she began to shake, but still his left hand maintained its grasp on her blade. The vice grip on her weapon didn't lessen as he watched her internally fighting against the emotions that threatened to sweep over her. She, her siblings and Mamoru all resembled fifteen year old humans now. Of her siblings, Rin was undeniably the more elegant. She'd kept her hair long, decorating it in small sections with pearls her hair was half up. The portion of hair that was up was held in place by a large silver barrette which had a single large pearl at the center. The Zanpakuto was pure white, resembling white gold in appearance, with a snow white hilt, and a cat claw as a tsuba. She wore a sleeveless shihakushō with shortened hakama, which gave the appearance of a skirt, her obi was rose coloured with the 8th division lieutenant insignia on her right arm. On her left wrist was a pink woven bracelet.

"Rin, you know this has to be done," Mamoru stated as he brought his left hand up, and wiped away a stray tear from her right eye.

Rin bit her lip, a strangled sob escaping her throat, "Why?"

Mamoru's shoulders sagged slightly, "because otherwise there's no way to stop him."

Rin bit her lip harshly and gave a small nod. Mamoru gently kissed the top of her head, "I would rather die now, than live a thousand years without having known you. I'd rather give my life up, than watch yours end. Even when you knew the truth of who I am… you never changed towards me. How could I ever in good conscience let someone so pure sacrifice themselves when you're needed? When soul society, and the human world both need you?"

"We have a duty to both worlds. Let's get this done," She stated, her tone firm and even. Mamoru didn't need to consult his Zanpakuto to know that inside his best friend was screaming over the injustice of their situation. How had the enemy managed to escape Muken? Neither of them knew, but they knew they had to work together to uphold their sworn duty along with the Captains that gathered. Mamrou gently slipped off the 13th squad Lieutenant insignia from his right arm, handing it to Rin. Rin looked to him with tears threatening to pour from her as she shakily accepted the sacred item, knowing what this action meant.

' _Forgive me, Rin. I never wished to cause you any pain,'_ Mamoru thought to himself, his own emotions grasping ahold of him before his eyes steeled, and his resolve held strong, eyeing the inhuman creature before him. Somewhere between a hollow and a Shinigami and that repulsive glow emitting from his chest, the rage within Mamoru's chest boiled at the sight of the creature before he let the anger strengthen his resolve. He turned fully to face the very thing that had caused all of the havoc that had led to several events in soul society, including his own existence.

With feral ferocity he bellowed out, "Aizen! Come and face me!"

Aizen flew at Mamoru, but the boy was prepared, activating his shikai and catching the villain of the soul society within a large yellow sphere with a single swing of his blade. Sweat began to bead off of the young shinigami's brow as he held that sphere. He held it until a single object dropped from it.

Rin flash stepped, snatching up the hogyoku and racing off with it. Mamoru dropped to his knees, panting as the sphere disappeared.

He breathed heavily for a moment, his blade embedded in Aizen's stomach. He found his voice.

"Bankai!"

Mamoru withdrew his blade, "Jikan no Mukankei."

"—Hakka no Togame," Rukia's voice called out.

Then in a flash everything around them turned into ice and white snow, the 13th squad Captain, Rukia Kuchiki had activated her bankai, trapping Aizen within it, but also leaving an ice sculpture of her adopted nephew and Lieutenant, Mamoru Kuchiki. Rukia slowly began to thaw as Sora and Tomoya looked on at the ice sculpture who had once been their best friend shattered to pieces. Sora buried her face into Tomoya's shirt, hiding her eyes from the sight as if trying to will it away. Tomoya gently rubbed his sister's back, feeling his own eyes sting with tears as the remains of their childhood friend along with his biological father blew away into thin air.

As he held onto his one sister, his mind drifted to the other with a single thought, _'Rin—where did you go?'_

Jikan no Mukankei – Time Irrelevance.


	2. Who is she?

Rin gasped as she landed in Paris, holding a hand over her heart she gently slid to her knees next to the Eiffel tower, panting, and tears pooling with in her eyes.

' _He… he's gone. I can't sense him. I could always sense him, no matter where we were. How far apart we are… Mamy,'_ her thoughts swam as she turned her glance sky bound just in time to see a garganta open.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched the Arrancar enter Paris.

' _I have to hide, they'll be looking for this,'_ Rin thought to herself as she slipped the hogyoku within the shirt of her shihakushō and flash stepped off, leaving a dotted trail of tears in her wake. Her mind drifted as she ran, as much as she tried to focus. The memories replayed in her mind like a silent movie, the time at the river fifty years ago, when she nearly fell in, but Mamoru had pulled her back onto himself instead. When she first learned her shikai, and he'd cheered her on, her smile fell a bit. The day he learned his shikai wasn't as joyous an event.

He'd turned pale, his hands were trembling as his knees had given out, and he'd fallen harshly onto the academy floor, a cold sweat beaded on his brow as he panted, staring off into space like he'd seen the most horrific and powerful hollow in existence. It was only half an accurate assessment of what he had actually seen. He'd seen how he'd been brought into the world, his father had created him and his brother in a lab, and had entrusted a blonde haired, blue eyed female Shinigami to impregnate herself with the embryos if something should happen to him. He then saw that same female Shinigami heavily pregnant, in the depths of the maggot's nest, while Tama, Rin's own mother watched over her as she labored. Tama had delivered his twin brother, and it was in that moment that Mamoru had begun to lose control over his emotions. While Tama cared for the first born boy, the second born was delivered by a member of the fourth squad. Tama had delivered the baby to Kisuke Urahara who put the finishing touches on a special gigai that would slowly turn the baby human over time. He then saw his own blood line from his brother, his nephew, great nephew, and so on.

Then her memory jumped to another memory where each had found happiness, and each had shared a similar negative feeling, embarrassment.

" _ **Hey, why the long face?" 130 year old Mamoru asked as he sat next to Rin on the squad eight roof top.**_

 _ **He didn't bother trying to conceal his shock at her snappy reply, "Haven't you anything better to do?"**_

" _ **What would that be? What would that something better to do than to check in on my sulky best friend be? I can't think of anything," Mamoru answered without skipping a beat.**_

 _ **He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, taking her in. She had begun to change quite a bit recently from when they were kids. Though she made efforts to conceal it, he couldn't help but notice the slight changes. Her skin seemed to almost glow, her hair became oily quicker, and she was beginning to fill out.**_

 _ **He blinked as a thought occurred to him, he sighed a bit as he contemplated how to phrase what he was about to say before offering, "Who knew being a teenager would be like this huh?"**_

 _ **Rin's brow furrowed, giving him the indication that she was listening.**_

" _ **I mean… I don't know everything you're going through but… if you listen closely, you'll actually hear that my voice is a bit deeper than it used to be," Mamoru offered.**_

 _ **Rin thought for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, about two octaves, I think."**_

" _ **And my voice squeaks whenever I try to sing," Mamoru offered.**_

 _ **Rin gave a slight smile and nodded a little.**_

" _ **So what got you so embarrassed that you became a storm cloud?"**_

 _ **Rin's face went tomato red at the question and she pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face into her arms.**_

 _ **Mamoru gently patted Rin's back, "I'm here, you know that right?"**_

" _ **Blood," Rin answered.**_

 _ **Mamoru's brow furrowed before his eyes widened, "Oh."**_

" _ **Yeah… I started that thing. I was so embarrassed I didn't want to get up," Rin admitted.**_

 _ **Mamoru chuckled a bit nodding, "In a way I can sort of relate."**_

 _ **Rin scoffed as she rolled her eyes, "I doubt it. I mean my pyjamas were soaked, some of the bedsheets were saturated with it—"**_

" _ **I get the picture, Rin-chan," Mamoru interrupted.**_

 _ **He blinked in surprise as he saw tears forming in her grey eyes, he noticed the whites of her eyes were already red from crying.**_

 _ **Even more shocking was when he heard her voice shakily state, "I just don't want anyone to see me right now. So just go."**_

 _ **Mamoru scratched the back of his neck, before taking in a deep breath, "A few months ago… I was staying with Aunt Rukia and Uncle Renji. Ichika came in to wake me up a-and-"**_

 _ **He hesitated, biting his lip, he could feel his face heating up all the way to the tips of his ears. His ears were burning from the heat, "-andthebedsheetswerewet. I didn't pee the bed, and it wasn't sweat."**_

 _ **Rin sat with her mouth open as she processed what she'd just heard.**_

" _ **I-I guess we're both going through some embarrassing stuff," Rin offered.**_

 _ **Her brow furrowed for a bit before turning to him, "Wait a minute—you said months ago but we had a slumber party three weeks ago."**_

 _ **Mamoru looked away shamefully, "I did use your bath house."**_

" _ **Yeah bu—oh!"**_

 _ **Mamoru suddenly wished there was a hole he could crawl into somewhere. Rin offered a soft smile, "Guys aren't the only ones, ya know?"**_

 _ **Mamoru relaxed a little, and gave a small laugh, "I am aware."**_

" _ **I'm glad I have you, though. Honestly I didn't want to show my face to anyone today… I've been evading everyone, and everything," Rin admitted.**_

 _ **Mamoru glanced to Rin, "Yet you chose to speak to me. Why?"**_

 _ **Rin gave Mamoru a look that said he already knew the answer, "And when have I ever beat you at tag?"**_

" _ **Fair enough," Mamoru conceded, he glanced to the green woven bracelet on his left wrist.**_

" _ **We'll always have each other. I may be faster than you, but you can outwit me quite easily," Mamoru replied.**_

 _ **Rin gave hearty laugh as she shook her head, "Only you. That's because I know you, and let's not forget, my Zanpakuto spirit is a cat, they're often the most cunning of the Zanpakuto spirits… and wild. I guess I have a bit of that wildness too. Sometimes I don't even know what I was thinking of doing until I've actually done it."**_

 _ **Mamoru nodded as he joked, "Even a time master like myself can't predict your erratic tactics."**_

 _ **Rin rolled her eyes before pressing her hand against his forehead, resulting in the brunette boy falling backwards.**_

" _ **And she knocks me over with one move," He joked again.**_

 _ **Rin gave an amuse smirk, "Right. Like you couldn't stop me if you wanted to."**_

" _ **That is a bit too true," Mamoru replied.**_

Rin collapsed to her knees, remembering that day, that conversation, those events. She felt her spiritual pressure beginning to surge out of control. Ice and snow forming around her, and a lump steadily growing within her throat.

She forcefully swallowed, fighting against her own body to get back up to her feet as she entered a large elegant home, right across from the Agreste mansion.

From his bedroom window, a 14- year old boy with sunshine golden hair and emerald eyes watched as a white haired girl, in a strange cosplay outfit and a fake sword attached to her left side at the costume's obi entered the house across the street from him.

' _I have a new neighbour? I wonder if I'll get a chance to meet her. At least we have one thing in common, we both like anime,'_ he thought to himself.

' _Maybe… maybe I'll get a chance to become her friend,_ ' The lonely boy thought to himself, a slight rush of happiness flooding him with the thought.

With a shy smile and a slight blush, Adrien walked away from the extravagant window and headed off to his piano practice.


	3. SnowyXTiger vs StingQueen

Within the confines of the lavishly designed house, designed to conceal her reiatsu and act as a defense system against arrancar if she were injured, Rin's right arm, her sword arm, fell to her side. Her back pressed against the secured door of Sekiseki stone as silent tears began to cascade down from her eyes. Leaving her cheeks, the droplets of water splashed onto the smooth marble floor. Vaguely a thought ran through her mind, _'cherry blossoms…. How like him to design a house with cherry blossoms.'_

She slid down against the door as she hugged her knees up to her chest, and buried her face into arms as her tears continued to fall, strangled sobs began to emit from her as her body quaked with each shuddered breath.

' _Mamy-I'm sorry. I know you'd want me to be strong-But it hurts. It hurts so much-I feel like I can't breathe. This is worse than any cut, broken bone—I've never felt any pain like this before. I just can't keep a stiff lip. I wish I could. I know you don't want me to be sad, but that's the only way I can describe it. I'm scared, I'm alone, and I don't know what's worth fighting for anymore. Why did I become a Shinigami? I don't know. What's the point of it? I wish I had your clarity right now,'_ Rin thought to herself.

" _ **Why do you want to be a Shinigami?"**_

 _ **The question left 100- year-old Rin's mouth faster than her mind could process what she was asking.**_

 _ **Mamoru gave a rambunctious laugh, as he gave Rin a playful grin, "you're teasing me right now, aren't you?"**_

" _ **No," Rin replied.**_

 _ **Mamoru was quiet for a moment before offering, "well, let's see what both of our answers are. Why do you want to be a Shinigami?"**_

 _ **Rin blinked at him before giving a small shrug, "It's something to do, I guess. I don't know. With you, I feel like I'm accepted. I'm not some frightening ice sorceress or something."**_

 _ **Mamoru gave a slight chuckle, "I don't know about that. You scare me sometimes."**_

 _ **Rin gave him a stunned expression, " I do?! Since when? "**_

" _ **Since as long as we've known each other," he admitted.**_

 _ **He gave a small shrug, "You've got a temper, and you don't hide it when it flares up."**_

 _ **Rin crossed her arms, scowling coldly.**_

" _ **Yeah, that's the look. You look like you could turn me into an ice sculpture in a second," Mamoru jested.**_

" _ **I am not that powerful! I'm not your Aunt Rukia," Rin growled out.**_

" _ **She isn't really my Aunt," Mamoru replied, softly. He'd spoken so quietly that Rin wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly, she glanced at him.**_

" _ **I-I'm not even Captain Kuchiki's real son," Mamoru confessed.**_

 _ **Rin gave a slight chuckle, "Well anyone with eyes can see that. The two of you look nothing alike."**_

 _ **Mamoru met Rin's eyes and held eye contact as he spoke, "Exactly my point. It's exceptionally rare for a greater noble family to adopt a child, let alone to adopt an outside into their lineage twice. So then why- why did Captain Byakuya Kuchiki adopt Captain Rukia Kuchiki, and myself? Rukia is the simple answer. He had a wife once, Hisana. They were only married for five years, and she passed away in the spring of the fifth year. Her frail health had completely dissolved—yet for some reason unknown to him, Hisana always returned to Inuzuri. He'd never forbidden it, but he'd asked her several times why she kept returning there if she was happy. All she replied with was she couldn't stop searching."**_

 _ **Rin's brow had furrowed together.**_

" _ **The answer, was Rukia is the younger sister of Hisana Kuchiki. The infant sister, that Hisana had abandoned in order to care for herself. She grew to greatly regret her decision and spent her entire marriage searching for the little sister she'd given up. On her death bed, Hisana asked that Byakuya continue her search, told him of Rukia, and asked that Rukia be permitted to call him her elder brother," Mamoru concluded.**_

 _ **Rin gave a small smile before asking, "And what of you?"**_

" _ **My story is nowhere near as up lifting a tale," Mamoru replied, his shoulders sagging at the statement.**_

 _ **Rin could pin point the exact tell-tale signs of sadness in her best friend.**_

" _ **I was born in Muken… the third underground level of the maggot's nest, the child of two prisoners. One deemed to forever be a threat to soul society and the human world, the other died in childbirth," Mamoru answered.**_

 _ **Rin felt the air leave her lungs, his biological parents were criminals. Here was a boy, so gentle he could catch a moth in his bare hands and release it from a four wall prison into the night without damaging its wings.**_

 _ **A boy who cried if he saw a cute baby bunny rabbit become a fox's prey for its next meal. A boy who had always protected her, defended her, and told her she was as strong and beautiful as she was intelligent.**_

 _ **Rin wet her lips before asking, "Who?"**_

" _ **My mother's name was Yoshino Hisakawa, I was the second born of a set of fraternal twins. My brother and I were separated at birth. I was raised here as my spiritual pressure would draw too many hollows out in the human world. My brother, was raised in the human world by a wealthy couple, they named him Alexandre. It was all to protect us from our father, keep us separate. That way if one of us should join forces with our father one day, the hope was the other would fight against both of us. He's the worst. My biological father, he was one of the worst criminals to ever exist in soul society. The pain he inflicted, the illegal experiments, the deception, the torment…."**_

 _ **Rin felt her stomach knotting tightly, 'No-no it can't be!'**_

 _ **Mamoru let a few stray tears fall from his eyes as he broke eye contact with Rin, "My brother was lucky. He looked like our mother. Her crime, truly, was loving a monster and reproducing with him. I'm the splitting image of our father. I can't look myself in the mirror without wanting to throw up since I found out."**_

 _ **Rin held her breath as she waited.**_

" _ **My real father is-"**_

 _ **He clutched his fists hard enough that he broke the skin, blood beginning to ooze onto the grass.**_

" _ **Mamoru, it's okay," Rin coaxed.**_

 _ **The brown haired boy grimaced, 'If you knew. If you knew what he did to your mother, to your grandparents—'**_

 _ **Rin placed a hand on Mamoru's back, only for him to move away from her touch.**_

" _ **You'll hate me," he whispered as his voice cracked with a pained sob.**_

" _ **We've been friends longer than I can remember, Mamoru. It doesn't matter to me. I mean if you want to tell me, I'll listen, but—honestly—it isn't going to change anything. You're still the boy who kept me from falling into the river, knowing I'm not a strong swimmer. You're still the boy who snuck into my room when I had the measles - and got sick with them too! Kinda lead to our first slumber party. You're still the one that held my hair back when I got sick from eating too many strawberries," Rin responded, giggling a bit at the last memory.**_

 _ **Mamoru gave a small smile, 'I don't deserve her.'**_

" _ **you don't have to tell me now if you're not ready," Rin continued.**_

 _ **Mamoru glanced to her with a shocked expression.**_

" _ **When you're ready, you can tell me. And you can tell me what you've learned about your brother and any other family you've learnt that you have," Rin offered.**_

 _ **She gently slipped her hand into his, forcing his fist to unclench, his blood getting on to her own hand as she began using kaido to heal the self-inflicted injury.**_

" _ **You're too kind, Rin," Mamoru stated.**_

" _ **I only speak the truth," Rin answered.**_

" _ **He's why—my biological father—he's why I want to be a Shinigami. I can't undo what he's done… the suffering he caused, but I hope if the time ever came, I can stop him from causing more misery," Mamoru answered.**_

 _ **Rin gave a small smile, 'And I'll be right there with you, because that's what friends are for.'**_

The snow-haired girl wiped her eyes as she forced herself up to her feet and headed up the winding marble staircase. Once she was there, she raced towards the third door on the left and pressed her entire palm against an electronic security system, granting her access to the room. Inside was a room designed to her liking. It featured a queen sized canopy bed with a purple and red bedding set, a walk in closet, computer desk, upon wish sat an iMac computer. Directly at the foot of her bed, against the opposing wall was a flat screen wall mounted television. She had her own karaoke machine in the bedroom. Next to her bed on the night table was a photo of herself and Mamoru on her last birthday.

She fought back another onslaught of tears as she rested the photo of them face down on her night stand.

She opened up the closet door, and found her gigai right where she'd left it. She climbed into the faux body, and stood in front of a floor length mirror, looking over herself. _'Oh yuck! Girl you need some new clothes,'_ She thought to herself, and hey a little retail therapy may just be what the doctor ordered.

Undeniably the t shirt depicting a cat wearing sunglasses was a bit more childish than she should be wearing, not to mention the clothes felt incredibly tight.

' _online shopping, here we go,'_ Rin thought to herself as she turned the iMac on, entering the password.

After an hour and roughly $500 spent on on a new wardrobe, Rin decided to try the chatrooms for the local area of Paris France.

She found a chatroom for local teenagers in her area and saw several were talking about College Dupoint Francois.

Fashionista_Sweets: Hey, Snowy, which school do you go to?

SnowyXTiger: Actually, I'm homeschooled lol

Fashionista_Sweets: Really? Oh wow, I can't imagine.

SnowyXTiger: yeah, all of my friends and I have been home schooled our entire lives… we keep the circle kinda small but we're a nice group of people, always room for some more.

Fashionista_Sweets: That's cool, I guess. So any hobbies? I mean how do you meet people outside of your circle if you're home schooled? I meet most of my friends at school!

SnowyXTiger: no worries! It's totally cool I go to parties, join clubs, extra curricular activities, things like that.

Fashionista_Sweets: Oh? Like what? I guess you might be able to tell but I'm kind of into fashion, myself. I like creating new designs. I actually wear clothes I designed myself.

Rin's jaw dropped as she read that.

SnowyXTiger: That's amazingly awesome. I wish I had talent like that… unfortunately my talents aren't exactly along the same lines. I'm fairly good with calligraphy, I'm good with kendo, martial arts, and poetry I also dabbled a bit into music. I play guitar but I'm definitely not a rock star! Lol

StrayCat04: Few people ever are. Lol

SnowyXTiger: Just when I was thinking I was the only cat in here. Haha! Hi SC (Sorry, but I am not calling you Stray)

StrayCat04: that's okay Snowy, you can call me anything.

StrayCat04: Actually, you sound a lot like me. Although I quit karate a while back, I still practice kendo, I play piano, I'm a big time anime fan, I like basketball and I've been home schooled my whole life as well. I actually want to attend a regular school like everyone else.

StingQueen: Eww, no you don't SC! I'm actually grossed out that I have to mix with those commoners. You're better off being home schooled. But honestly if you did go to a regular school, you should go to College Dupont Francois with me! Then I'd get to see you everyday!

StrayCat04: Right, well have your Dad convince mine that it's a good idea and we'll see. No promises though :'(

SnowyXTiger: Wait, you want to attend a regular school? So why don't you?

StrayCat04: It's kind of hard to explain.

StingQueen: Come on, Snowy, you're one of us. One of the elites, you must understand the need to separate commoners from the betters in society.

SnowyXTiger: Actually, I believe quite the opposite. I believe we have a duty to assist those less fortunate than us in every and any means possible. If I let someone suffer today just so I could stay safe or stay wealthy, I couldn't look myself in the mirror tomorrow.

StingQueen: Ugh, I always regret talking to bleeding hearts.

Fashionista_Sweets: Oh for crying out loud! Nobody cares what you think.

StingQueen: Oh look, the little uppidy baker's daughter is getting upset.

SnowyXTiger: Hey, watch it. Her Dad might slip a little something extra into your top of the line birthday cupcakes, your royal highness ;)

StingQueen: Do you have any idea who I am?

SnowyXTiger: apparently someone whose ego needs to come down about ten pegs so she can join in with the real world.

StingQueen: As if! My ego is completely fine, thank you!

SnowyXTiger: Right, and I'm the lead in Swan Lake *eye roll* look… let's make this easy: If you're nice, I don't care what your social status is, you're cool with me. If you're a bully, then I don't care who you are, who you know, or whose on your payroll, I want less than nothing to do with you. Bully someone in front of me, I don't care if your Dad is the Prime Minister of France, I will hand you your own backside on a silver platter and force you to eat it.

StingQueen: How dare you! Expect to hear from the chief of police!

SnowyXTiger: I look forward to it. Shall I print off this conversation as evidence of your economic prejudice?

StingQueen: My what?

SnowyXTiger: seriously? Which word eludes you, "economic" or "prejudice"?

 _StingQueen has signed off._

StrayCat04: That… that was actually pretty cool. I don't think anyone's ever stood up to her.

Fashionista_Sweets: You know her?

StrayCat04: Well… yeah. I mean… our Dads sometimes cross paths and I've known her since we were kids. In some ways she's kind of my only friend.

Fashionista_Sweets:…. Right… Hey Snowy, come on by parents bakery. I'll PM you the address.

SnowyXTiger: Err… okay? Anything strawberry flavoured? I'm not a huge fan of sweets, but strawberry anything and I'm sold.

Fashionista_Sweets: Oh you don't need to eat sweets. We have pastries here too, breads, all kinds of things.

SnowyXTiger: okay… but why?

Fashionista_Sweets: well, honestly I want to thank you. She's been bullying me for years now and…

SnowyXTiger: LOL Oh! Don't worry about it. I just moved here from Japan… and where I'm from, the area I'm from, stuff like that gets you sent home with a written warning, and then an expulsion. So no big deal.

Fashionista_Sweets: Hey cool! I'm half Chinese myself.

SnowyXTiger: Cool, but I think I'll take sushi over traditional Chinese food any day… sorry.

Fashionista_Sweets: Oh no, no worries. It's what you're used to, and what you prefer, right?

SnowyXTiger: Yeah, true. Hey SC, are you in a fencing club or something?

StrayCat04: Well, actually yeah.

SnowyXTiger: Maybe I'll see you there. Let's see how you guys hold up against a girl ;)

StrayCat04: Seriously?! Well, I kinda suspected with a name like "Snowy" but… alright I gotta ask, how good are you?

SnowyXTiger: You'll have to wait and see.

StrayCat04: Alright, I'll tell you this much, I can go up against my Sensei and even beat him a few times in matches.

SnowyXTiger: seems you might be my greatest challenge then. See you tomorrow, if we're in the same class.

 _SnowyXTiger has signed off._

Rin sat back with a slight sigh, how was she going to find Alexandre's descendent? She knew one thing to be true, she'd have to break a Shinigami law and create a substitute once she did find the Agreste distant relative of Mamoru.

She flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling as she considered a few things. She knew that in human years, 150 years is a long time. Long enough for a few generations to have passed. In fact the youngest descendent of Aizen could be no more than 13-15 years of age.

Rin gave a small sigh as she opened her night table drawer pulling out a red diary with a red gel pen and ripped out a page from the back of the book.

' _Alright, So I know it started with Sosuke Aizen… he had two sons Mamoru and Alexandre. According to Mamy, Alexandre had a son named Charles…'_ Rin thought to herself as she began writing.

By the time she was finished she written down: Alexandre - Charles - Gregoire Gabriel ?

Rin bit her lip, lightly, Gabriel she knew that he had at least one child. The odds of Gregoire and Charles still being alive were very slim.

She gave a heavy sigh as she looked over at the mansion across the street from her, blinking as she could've sworn she saw a boy of around 13-15 years of age staring back at her. He smiled and waved. Slowly, Rin brought her hand up and waved back to him.

' _The only way to know is if they can harness the power of the black cat while in soul forum… only then can I be certain that he is in fact the true Chat Noir,'_ Rin thought to herself.

The price of doing this carried a hefty sentence. She could be sentenced to death for creating a substitute, but she had little choice in the matter. Her world, this world, both depended on the Hogyoku being destroyed.

Alexandre had been a true Chat Noir himself, but her mother had cautioned her that someone like that is only born once a century.

' _Oh god I hope I don't have to hide this thing from Arrancars for 50 years! God damn it,_ ' Rin thought to herself bitterly as she left the window, hardly noticing that the boy across the way was standing with his finger poised on his chin deep in thought at her expression and response to him.


	4. Rin vs Adrien vs what is that?

_Rin woke up the next morning to a blaring alarm next to her head. Groaning she slammed her fist down onto the alarm, jumping back when it shattered._

' _Oops! Captain Yadomaru's going to take that outa my pay,' Rin thought to herself as she sat up and stretched. She grumbled a bit before heading towards the ensuite rubbing her eyes._

 _She looked into the bathroom mirror and in the mirror's reflection, she saw Mamoru's frozen face staring at her from behind her left shoulder._

 _Rin spun around and was ripped by the frozen living corpse as it began to choke her._

Rin sat up in bed and screamed into the empty mansion before her scream turned into tears again. She sat for a moment gently gasping as she cried, taking a glance around her room. The absurdity of her nightmare dawned on her and she threw her head back, falling onto her pillows as maniacal laughter filled the room.

She couldn't be haunted by ghosts, for all intents and purposes, she was a ghost! A spirit, a soul, a paranormal, whatever you wished to call it. She wasn't human. Rolling onto her side, her hair had fanned out behind her head as her hysterical laughter slowed to light giggles.

She sat back up, shaking her head at how strange her mind was right now. Then again, she shouldn't be surprised, having a basic understanding of what humans call 'psychology' from her time at the academy, she knew such nightmares were to be expected. It was part of her grief.

After a quick shower, Rin located some clothes in her Captain's room that suited her fine for the time being. With her hair pulled into her usual half up with the silver and pearl barrette, she smoothed out the hot pink t shirt with an angel wing design on the left hand side and a pair of dark wash blue jeans. She then made herself a quick breakfast of oatmeal and strawberries with a quick cup of black coffee before heading out towards her fencing class.

Adrien stood with the rest of the guys as they stood waiting for the fencing instructor, Armand D'Argencourt apparently had an announcement.

Armand clapped his hands to gain the boys attention and announced, "Class, we have a new student today. I'd ask you all to take care as he—"

"You mean, 'She'," Rin corrected as she joined the guys.

Armand gasped slightly, "Madamoiselle, this is not a co-ed class."

Rin tilted her head slightly to the right as she asked, "Why not?"

Adrien blinked as he looked at the girl, the same girl who'd moved in just the previous day, he raised his hand, "Sir, I don't mind sparring with her."

"That is not the problem, Adrien! A girl is much more delicate—"

"Delicate? Really? That's the objection? You'll have to do better than that," Rin interrupted as she approached, drawing her sword.

She picked up one of the other swords and offered it to Armand.

"In fact, why don't I show you what I've got before you make your decision? I'll show you how 'delicate' I really am," Rin challenged.

Armand's eyes widened for a bit, before refusing the sword, "No, I cannot. A gentleman must never dishonor a lady."

"You're dishonouring me right now," Rin countered, her eyes giving an icy glare.

Armand hesitated before grasping a hold of the sword.

"If you insist then, milady," He replied before moving to the center of the gymnasium and taking his stance.

Rin took her stance as she locked eyes with him.

"Armand," Adrien called out as he walked over.

"Why not let the best fighter amoung us challenge her. True, you're the instructor, but… we're of similar age and height to her. It's a more fair fight," Adrien offered.

Armand relaxed a little at the idea before regarding Rin and revealing, "I mean no dispresct, Wantanabe-san, but I would feel better if you were facing someone of equal age and size."

Rin shrugged, "It means nothing to me how old, how tall, or how strong someone is. In the end it's skill that wins the fight, nothing more nor less."

"Skill huh?"

Adrien grasped the sword and took Armand's place, "Well… I've been fencing since I was four."

Rin smirked, "Almost as long as I have."

' _But add about another century and six years,'_ She thought to herself as she kept her focus on Adrien.

Adrien put his helmet on, "Aren't you gonna protect your face?"

"And mess up my hair? You must be joking," Rin answered with a cat like grin.

"Don't say I didn't offer," Adrien answered.

"En Guard!"

"You sure you don't want to protect your pretty face?"

"Pret!"

"Listen to you, you're like a stray cat," Rin hinted.

Adrien felt his mouth gape open, "Snowy?"

"Allez!"

Adrien didn't hesitate to advance on her, but Rin held him off with ease and tapped the tip of her sword to his torso.

"point!"

Adrien blinked a bit, _'how'd she do that? She moved so quickly I didn't even see it.'_

"Allez!"

He attempted again, only for Rin evade him without her blade touching his, and tap her sword tip to his torso.

"Point!"

' _She's got two points in on me already?! Who is she?'_

"Allez!"

Adrien moved to attack again and what he saw made him doubt his own sanity it was as if she moved out of his attack, and then moved back in place with a cheeky grin on her face.

His sword's tip tapped against her torso armor.

"Point, Agreste!"

' _Agreste, huh? So you're Gabriel's son,'_ Rin thought to herself.

Adrian's eyes widened as an icy feeling took a hold of him. His mind began to race but one train of thought shouted loudest, _'That strange feeling again… I had it two nights ago as well…. The night she moved in. What's happening?'_

The next thing he knew, Rin was in front of him, an open palm aimed at what he was sure was nothing to everyone else, but faintly if he strained his eyes, he could make out the blurry outline of something large. It towered over them.

He blinked as he watched a ball of red energy burst out of Rin's palm and struck the blurred monster.

Rin calmly walked towards it and Adrian felt something, an icy cold feeling that was increasing, it seemed to be coming from Rin. What was she actually doing?

Something fell from the ceiling, causing Adrien to cast his gaze upwards. His mouth gaped open as he realized the ceiling of the gymnasium appeared to be caving in.

Following the cracks in the ceiling, Adrien could clearly see that part of the ceiling was going to crash down onto Rin if she didn't move. She didn't move out of the danger, instead she actually stepped further into it.

"Watch out!"

The next second, Rin was on the gymnasium floor, strong arms wrapped around her, and Adrien was next to her, he took his helmet off to glare at her, "What are you doing?"

Rin gave him a blank stare.

"The ceiling's caving in, there's some kind of creature in here, and you're just standing still? We've gotta go! Look around you," He lectured.

As if coming back to her senses, Rin surveyed the gymnasium, Armand and the fencing team had indeed vacated the gymnasium.

"Then why are you still here?"

The question hit Adrien harshly for a moment before he gritted his teeth, "I'm not a super hero, but I'm also not the type of person that can just leave when someone's in danger."

In a blur, he was suddenly over Rin's shoulder, as she leapt high into the air, and Adrien's eyes went wide as he saw a flash of something white and green below them.

"You're the only one in danger here, Adrien Agreste. You should know that. After all we've guarded your family for over a century," Rin admitted, she landed gracefully on both feet, her free hand poised in front of her like a cat that had leapt from a tree branch.

Adrien's eyes widened, that actually made sense. A few times he'd seemed to evade complete disaster but there was always an unusual smell or an unusual feel to the air when that near disaster was adverted. Then the rest of her sentence began to sink in.

 _Over a century? We?_

Adrien's attention fully turned to the white haired teenager in front of him, "Who are you? _What_ are you?"

Rin glanced in his direction, "'Who' will suffice, I'll thank you kindly."

Adrien took the hint, 'What are you' was offensive. Of course it was! How foolish could he be.

"I smell a delicious soul," The monster spoke.

Rin smirked, "Oh? You planning me or him for your next meal, you hollow scum?"

Adrien blinked a bit, _'"hollow"? Did she truly just call that monster a hollow? Like a hollow log?'_

Adrien watched as she gently let him to the gym floor and retrieved a small circular green object from her glove, popping it into her mouth.

"Ahhh, this makes sense, you're a soul reaper, a strong one going by that arm badge," The hollow spoke, licking its lips.

"That's right, I'm the Lieutenant of Squad eight, Rin Wantanabe, and you, you poor soul are not in for a delicious treat. The prior soul you devoured was your last," Rin stated.

"What is this? First you-" The hollow stopped talking as Rin had moved in a quick motion again, and was now putting her sword away.

"I never like conversing with my prey," Rin stated as the hollow faded away.

Adrien sat wide eyed as he took this girl in. She was attractive, he couldn't lie about it. She had long white hair, pale skin, and grey eyes. Her hair was elaborately done in a half up style with a silver and pearl barrette holding half her hair back, several bits of hair were held together by pearls. Her outfit was something else though. He'd seen similar clothing in Animes in the past, and then that pink obi and the pink scarf to match it.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Rin asked with a playful Cheshire grin.

Adrien swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his throat.

Rin smirked as she walked back over to him and with ease retrieved the green pill from her body before entering it again and taking on the appearance she'd had at the start of the class.

She bent slightly forward towards Adrien, offering him his hand, "Why don't we go to my place? There's a lot to discuss."

Adrien blinked a little before nodding, "Alright."

Then his face fell into a sad expression, "Actually..I-I can't."

Rin raised a brow, "Oh?"

Adrien gave a heavy sigh as he headed off.

"Adrien, why not?!"

"I'm not allowed. I'm home schooled, tutored in Chinese, Piano, I don't even normally fence with the rest of the guys. Usually it's just me and Armand… You see… my Dad doesn't like me associating with others," Adrien offered.

Rin crossed her arms, "Well fine then. I'll stop by tonight."

"He won't let you in," Adrien stated.

"He won't be able to stop me," Rin countered with a cat like smirk, her eyes were now confident and determined.


	5. Beginning of Ladybug and Chat Noir

That night after dinner in the dining room with Nathalie, Adrien sat at his computer watching anime, he was dressed in a blue pajamas set but otherwise wasn't ready to go to bed. He kept his eye on the time, and when 11:30 rolled around he began to suspect that Rin wasn't coming.

Just when he was getting ready to give up hope and go to bed a female voice exclaimed, "Holy jumping jack rabbits, this room is atrociously huge!"

Adrien blinked for a second, then blushed and turned around to see Rin, in the same form she'd taken to kill the monster in the gymnasium.

"Yeah, My Dad tends to go overboard with material things. I love reading… I've read every book in this room at least once, but…. It doesn't really replace having a friend," Adrien replied.

Rin seemed to almost scoff at the last remark, "In some ways you're lucky, losing a friend really hurts."

Adrien's eyes widened as he looked to her, "What happened? I mean – I –I'm obviously not the best for advice with friendship issues, but – I mean if you wanted to talk about it maybe-"

"No, talking won't help," Rin cut him off, Adrien was startled to see that she looked ready to cry.

"Nothing'll change that my best friend is gone," she added as she stared out of his bedroom window.

From the faint reflection due to the night time darkness, Adrien could clearly make out a few tears coming down her cheeks.

"I don't ever want to make another friend as long as I live," Rin almost whispered.

Adrien felt his heart plummet into his stomach, as he grabbed a napkin he'd kept hidden in his room, "Well, don't consider this an offer of friendship, but croissants help me feel better?"

Rin gave a small chuckle as she quickly wiped her eyes before looking over to Adrien and taking a croissant from the napkin.

Adrien felt his heart lift slightly again with a miniscule amount of hope as he asked, "So about that monster, and what you meant by 'we've been guarding your family for over a century?"

Rin nibbled at the croissant and thought for a moment before offering, "I'm evidently not human. My name and rank is eighth squad Lieutenant Rin Wantanabe. I was born in a place adjacent to your world, called soul society. Everyone that inhabits that world is a spirit… in human terms I suppose you could call it 'Heaven'. Thing is, not everyone in Soul Society is good. Some soul reapers turn out to be very bad people. A hundred and fifty years ago, there was one Soul Reaper who became particularly threatening to both worlds. He's now the former Captain of the fifth squad, Sosuke Aizen."

Rin paused, and Adrien could see her eyes were welling up with tears again.

Adrien moved from his seat at his computer and sat next to Rin on the floor, gently placing a hand on her shoulder as he wondered to himself, _'What happened with that guy that made her so upset?'_

Rin took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "Before he was captured and incarcerated Sosuke Aizen fathered twin boys. One was extremely strong, the other was not. The stronger of the two was raised by the sixth squad Captain, the weaker of them was brought here to earth, placed in a faux body, like the one I use to be seen by ordinary humans, and given to Francois and Charlotte Agreste to be raised as a human child."

Adrien felt the air leave his lungs at the last sentence.

"I've been looking for you, because you're a direct descent of this dishonourably discharged soul reaper, and quite possibly the only one that can help me destroy the one weapon that could result in the end of both of our worlds," Rin stated as she reached within her robes and pulled out something wrapped in a dark cloth.

Adrien swallowed the vomit that was threatening to creep up into his mouth before asking, "What do I have to do?"

"It's both of us. I have to try to give you some of my power, so you can take your soul forum, and learn Bankai… the last one who was able to do this was Alexandre Agreste, the son of Sosuke Aizen. I can't guarantee that this'll work, if I'm wrong and you're not what I believe you to be it means you'll die," Rin stated.

"But if we don't locate the next true black cat, then both of our worlds will end if Aizen or one of his followers get his hands on this," The white haired girl concluded.

Adrien felt his blood go cold, so chance dying or chance letting two worlds be destroyed? It was up to him?

His mouth went dry but he gave Rin a reassuring smile as he replied, "Then give me some of your power, Rin."

Rin stood in front of him, putting the black cloth down on his desk. She drew her blade and Adrien felt the tip pressing directly against his chest right where his heart was beating.

"I'm asking a lot of you, so I want you to think. Don't tell me right now, but once we've done this, let me know one thing you wish you could have above everything else in this world," Rin stated.

"I'll do whatever I can to make it happen," She offered with a small smile.

Adrien shook his head, "I don't need any reward for this."

"It isn't a reward, it's my way of thanking you," Rin stated as she thrust the blade into Adrien's heart, and pushed a wave of her spiritual energy over him. Adrien felt a moment of unrelenting pain then the pain disappeared, he was wearing a black shihakushō with a white obi, at his left side was a black sheath, and a black tsuba to a katana.

" _So, you've awakened, for over a century I've been dormant,"_ A voice called out to him. Adrien quickly scanned the room and even dropped to all fours to look under his head.

"Don't worry, the voice is within you, and you're not going crazy," Rin stated.

"You see, we soul reapers use a special sword to fight hollows called a Zanpakuto," She offered.

"And a Zanpakuto has its own spirit, that's what you're hearing."

Adrien stopped searching and looked at Rin before demanding, "you mean a weapon with a mind and will of its own?!"

"More or less, yes. In order to use your Soul reaper powers, you have to bond with your Zanpakuto spirit," Rin stated, "and learn its name."

"Name? So they have a mind of their own, a will of their own and a name of their own?"

Rin nodded, before affectionately tapping the pure white katana in her hand with a cat claw shaped tsuba.

"Her name is Yukitora, which translates to snow tiger… that's where I got my screen name you first knew me by, my blade. Her release command is 'Swipe', and her Bankai name is 'Frozen eternity'," Rin revealed.

Adrien blinked bit before closing his eyes, and trying to quiet his mind.

" _I've waited for a century for this moment… my name is Kuroneko… to use my power, say 'claws out' followed by my name…"_

Adrien drew the Katana from its sheath, "Claws out, Kuroneko."

' _He is the true black cat –Only the real black cat would have that Zanpakuto name,'_ Rin thought to herself with a jolt of hope.

She smiled to herself as his appearance took on a more ninja like theme completed with cat clawed gloves on his hands.

"Whoa, okay this is weird," Adrien muttered just loudly enough for Rin to hear him.

Rin gave a slight giggle, bringing up her right hand to cover her mouth so her teeth wouldn't show.

Adrien glanced at her before smiling and giving a slight laugh, "Okay, what's next?"

"Training," Rin stated as she popped the last of the croissant into her mouth.

"Training?"

"Of course, no Shinigami learns the full release of their Zanpakuto by simply conversing with the Zanpakuto. Bankai training normally takes ten years-"

Adrien's mouth gaped as he stared at the white haired girl, she could not be serious!

"Ten years?! Uhh, I'll be 24 by then," Adrien stated.

Rin once again covered her mouth as she laughed, "No worries. There's a faster way that only a handful know of. It won't take you ten years. It'll take three days."

"How do you know so much about my powers?"

"You're not the first one. I told you that already. Alexandre had the same Zanpakuto, the same powers. That's because he was a true descendent of Aizen, but unlike Aizen, Alexandre only sought to help those around him," Rin stated.

Adrien played with the right sleeve of his outfit before looking to Rin.

"Why are you so sad? I mean your friend, what happened to them?"

Rin bit the inside of her cheek, slightly as she formulated the reply and forced it to come from her mouth, "I'd known him since I was an infant. We grew up together. He died."

Adrien's felt his own eyes burn with tears, "I'm sorry to hear that. I-I haven't had anyone close to me pass on yet—at least I don't think so?"

Rin gave him a confused look.

"My mom disappeared about two weeks ago—so I – I can't rightly say I know how it is to lose someone—but I do know what it's like to have someone whose always been there, suddenly not be," Adrien revealed, sadness leaking into his voice.

Rin's eyes widened a little bit, 'That's so sad! I'm not the best tracker, that's more my mom's department, and… Mamoru was good at that too, course he cheated. Maybe Mom can help find his mom—I'll have to ask her to when I go back—assuming I'm not executed for what I just did.'

She walked over to Adrien's body and slipped a green pill into it. Despite having impaled the human through his heart, no visible wounds were on his body.

"Huh? Going where?" Adrien asked.

"My house, you're not staying here. There's work to do. Don't worry. I was studying you for a bit so I could make a gikon that would mimick you convincingly well enough," Rin stated.

"Gi-Gik- what?!"

"That little green thing I just slipped into your body's mouth," Rin simplified as she nodded in the direction of Adrien's bed.

He looked behind him and fell onto his rear end in surprise as his body stood behind him, with a polite smile and waved, "hello Adrien. No need to worry, I've got you covered."

Adrien's body then threw the black cloth covered object over to Rin who caught it effortlessly and tucked it back into her shihakushō.

"Time to go model boy," Rin called to the stunned Adrien.

"How do you plan to handle the security cameras?" Adrien asked.

Rin smirked as she gripped Adrien's shirt and threw him over her shoulder, "easily."

She jumped from the window and flash stepped once, landing on the roof to her own house.

Adrien blinked a bit as he glanced around.

"This is gonna take some getting used to," He confessed.

"Don't have time to get used to anything," Rin called over her shoulder as she phased through the roof.

Adrien blinked and shook his head fiercely before following her.

~~~~Three days later~~~

"Bankai, Cataclysm!"

Adrien now took on the appearance of a black cat with the black cat ears, and a belt tied around his waist for a tail. He seemed to be in a black leather body suit with black leather boots and black leather clawed gloves.

Rin unwrapped the black cloth from the object she continuously carried with her, revealing what almost looked like a simple large diamond.

Adrien blinked a bit, "That thing's a weapon?"

"Adrien of all you've seen in the past three days, this is what surprises you most?"

Adrien gave a slight laugh at the idea and nodded in agreement, touching a finger to the glowing diamond like orb.

It turned dark brown before crumbling apart.

Rin gave a relieved sigh as she stated, "It's over. Now his death wasn't in vein."

Adrien glanced to Rin, "Your friend?"

Rin nodded, "Mamoru Kuchiki."

Adrien blinked several times before reverting back to his normal soul reaper shihakushō as he asked thoughtfully, "Mamoru Kuchiki… you said the Captain of the sixth squad was Byakuya Kuchiki, right?"

Rin nodded in agreement, "Yes. Mamoru was his adopted son."

A light bulb seemed to switch on in the blond model's mind as he looked to her, "He was Alexandre's twin, wasn't he?"

Rin nodded not bothering to hide the tears that flowed from her eyes, "Yes… and I'll always regret I never told him that I loved him."

Adrien was struck dumb at the revealation before rubbing the back of his neck, "But—you had so long with him, why didn't you?"

Rin's mind drifted back to a memory of being on the eighth squad rooftop 20 years earlier, Mamoru had just admitted that due to her wildness and spontaneous nature even he was unable to predict her movements, which made her difficult to defeat in their sparring sessions.

 _ **Mamoru nodded as he joked, "Even a time master like myself can't predict your erratic tactics."**_

 _ **Rin rolled her eyes before pressing her hand against his forehead, resulting in the brunette boy falling backwards.**_

" _ **And she knocks me over with one move," He joked again.**_

 _ **Rin gave an amuse smirk, "Right. Like you couldn't stop me if you wanted to."**_

" _ **That is a bit too true," Mamoru replied as he gently tugged on her sleeve, causing her to fall onto him. She giggled, hiding her face from him as she did. Next thing she knew Rin felt Mamoru's hand on the back of her head, a finger from his other hand hooked under her chin, as he gently pulled her face towards his own.**_

 _ **She felt her stomach go into knots as he moved in closer, he hesitated for a moment before his lips brushed lightly against hers, as if testing to see if she'd push him away. Then he fully pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. He held the kiss for a few seconds before he seemed to come to his senses,his eyes grew wide as he drew back and began to stumble over his words, "R-Rin—I'm sorry. I-I sh-shouldn't ha-"**_

 _ **He was cut off by Rin's lips melding against his momentarily smiling a little as she pulled away, "What's a small kiss between us, anyways?"**_

 _ **Mamoru blinked a little before giving a slight nod.**_

"I didn't tell him because I'm an idiot coward," Rin snarled.

Adrien blinked.

"We shared two… well three kisses… the same day, in the same spot, it wasn't by accident either," Rin admitted her right hand clenched into a fist.

"I have no idea why I didn't tell him then… you know what did fall out of my mouth? The dumbest thing ever: 'What's a small kiss between us anyways?'"

Adrien shook his head a little in disbelief. Over the past three days he'd grown to know Rin a fair bit and had a fair idea of the type of person she is. The girl raging and fitting in front of him was not the Rin he knew. He could feel the icy coldness in the air around them as she began to lose control.

Without speaking he grasped Rin's clenched hand, slipping his own into her fist, then pulled her into himself in a warm, but friendly embrace, he kept his stomach away from hers and angled his body away from her, but the meaning behind the embrace was there: she wasn't alone. The coldness around the area began to recede.

Quietly, Adrien's voice floated to her ear in a gentle whisper, "I can't imagine the regret of not telling someone you love them—but even if you never actually said the words, I think he knew. Everything you've been able to tell me about him—I think he knew and returned your feelings, but I also think maybe he was scared. Maybe he knew what would happen to him, and he didn't want to hurt you anymore than he already couldn't avoid. I get that you feel alone right now, but you're not. I'm not Mamoru, it's true, but I think—I think we're friends, aren't we?"

Rin rested her head on Adrien's shoulder before giving a small nod, "Yeah—I guess – I mean—I only came here to destroy the hogyoku. I didn't plan to make a new friendship, but it's like it was destined to happen."

She squeezed into Adrien for a moment before pulling from the hug, "So about that wish?"

Adrien bit his lip a little, "Really there's two wishes… I wish my mom was back but I don't know how you'd find her, so I'm not gonna ask for help with that."

'Noted and filed,' Rin thought.

"I'd like a chance to make a real human friend. I don't mean that like you're not a real friend, you are, but—I know you probably have to head back home soon, right?"

Rin nodded slowly with slight regret, "Yeah. So… you want me to set you up with someone?"

"No, I want to go to school, have a chance to meet other kids and make a few friends there, but I have no idea how we could begin to convince my father to do that."

Rin smirked a bit, "Who says we need his permission? I can pull off a Gabriel Agreste voice, just fine. The only thing is, I can't exactly get you to school myself. I can slow Nathalie and the Gorilla down, but that's the most I can do."

"Rin, if you can get me registered at Collage Francois Dupont, leave the rest to me," Adrien agreed.

"Done," Rin stated with a determined glare.

Weeks past and it was now the first day of school, Rin had impersonated Gabriel in a faux body to get Adrien registered for regular school classes, and now sat in his room by the open window.

"You ready to do this stray cat?"

Adrien gave her a determined look, "It's now or never."

Rin smirked as she sent a rope of orange spirit energy at Adrien and lasooed his wrist, pulling him towards her, as he climbed down from his bedroom window, she then sent a blast of kido energy giving the appearance of red smoke at both security cameras at the front enterance to cover Adrien's escape from the Agreste Mansion.

Noticing this the Gorilla, a tall heavily muscular man with greying hair and mutton chops on either side of his face came barreling out of the Agreste Mansion just in time to see Adrien run around the corner.

He jumped into the limousine, and was joined by Nathalie a mere moment later the car tore off after Adrien.

'Oh no,' Rin thought to herself as she ran off after them, the strain from creating a substitute, training them in bankai and just now using kido left her too tired to flash step.

She arrived, panting as she saw Adrien being cornered into the limo by Nathalie and his bodyguard.

'Oh no, Adrien, I'm sorry,' Rin thought to herself.

However another person caught her eye, an old Asian man in a Hawaiian print shirt, after the limo sped away she quietly approached the man.

"Greetings, Master Fu," she called out with a friendly smile.

"Ah, Wantanabe-san, you look strikingly like your mother," Master Fu replied.

Rin gave a slight blush as she dusted herself off a little, "Are you sure? Some say I must take after my father… I mean the only thing I have from my mom really is her white hair… same with my sister Sora, but I have no idea where Tomoya got his black hair from."

Master Fu lightly laughed, "You even ramble like your mother when you're embarrassed."

Rin's blush intensified before clearing her throat, "So I take it there's trouble with the Miraculous that were entrusted to the Agreste family?"

"Sadly, it seems the moth Miraculous has met with an evil heart," Master Fu confirmed.

Rin held a hand over her mouth in shock, _'Oh poor Nooroo!'_

"Wait, you were just looking at Adrien… Did I miss something?"

"He has a selfless heart," Master Fu replied.

Rin gave a soft smile and nodded in agreement, "Very true. How about I help you deliver the miraculous and we get things in motion to help Nooroo out of this torture?"

Master Fu gave Rin an appreciative smile, "I would be honoured for someone of your skill to assist with this, Wantanabe-san."

"The honour, Master Fu, is entirely mine," Rin replied with a deep bow.

Later that day, a young half-French, half-Chinese blunette girl with bluebell eyes found a jewellery box in front of her computer, and opened it to reveal the ladybug earrings as well as a little red kwami named Tikki.

In a similar fashion at the other side of Paris, Adrien noticed a red jewellery box sitting on the coffee table in front of his big screen tv and opened it. It gave a flash of green light before black cat like kwami appeared and within the jewellery box was a single silver ring, the ring of the black cat.

Across the street, a white haired teenager smiled to herself as a few minutes after that small green flash came a larger green flash.

' _It may not be the exact wish that you asked for, Adrien, but that little Kwami will help you get the freedom you desire. It's the least I could do for you reminding me who I am, and why I became a soul reaper. I'm not done yet, there's something else I have to try to do, as a thank you for reminding me the wealth in friendship,'_ Rin thought to herself as she drew her blade and pointed it in midair, then made a motion as if turning a key. A wooden sliding door appeared and opened with a black butterfly floating close to it, Rin stepped into the door as it closed behind her.

' _We will meet again, Adrien Agreste,'_ Rin thought to herself before heading home.


	6. Epilogue: New mission, truth in the rain

Stepping into soul society once again, Rin was greeted by her mother, Lieutenant Abarai, Captain Yadomaru, Captain Rukia Kuchiki and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. The white haired teen steeled her nerves before looking directly at their angry faces, sheer determination radiating from her.

"I will accept any punishment deemed necessary for my actions, but I make no apologies. It had to be done," Rin spoke without faltering.

Byakuya was the first to move forward before gently placing a hand on Rin's shoulder, "the next time you face such danger, at least inform us that you are safe. We've been worried."

"The entire squad has been waiting for you to return, I had no report from you, no communication. I wasn't sure if I'd be seeking a new Lieutenant," Lisa spoke next, her tone conveying both concern and relief.

Renji was the next to reply to her, "Are you for real? Taking a challenge like that on yourself, what if Aizen had somehow managed to fool all of us and went after you? Next time, have some backup lined up. It's toying with death to take that guy on alone. Heck, I used to be in Squad 11 and I wouldn't be fool enough to try it!"

Tama kept quiet during this and silently approached Rin.

The young Lieutenant felt her heart leap into her throat. For her mother to remain so composed, and silent was either a very bad sign, or a good sign.

After a moment she softly spoke, "Despite their objections, I understand why you did what you did, Rin. I know you had the Black Cat with you on this, am I correct?"

Rin nodded in agreement with a vocal affirmation, "Yes mother. I was able to locate him with clues that Mamoru had given me."

"I'm glad it was you he told those clues to," Rukia admitted.

Rin glanced at her feeling a rush of mixed emotions as she looked at Mamoru's adoptive Aunt and formerly, the Captain he was so loyal to he died beside her in battle.

"I don't think I could've achieved what you did in the same time frame, but you must be weakened. Making a substitute Shinigami is never easy on anyone," Rukia continued.

Rin nodded, "I'm definitely not as strong as I normally am."

Rukia offered a small smile as the others disbursed from the room, Tama shooting her a look of pure pride and Byakuya giving her a very rare half concealed smile as they exited her quarters.

"I know what you must think of me, Rin. I'm well aware that you may find this difficult to believe, but I didn't want to do it. I helped raise that boy since he was a baby. I never wished to harm Mamoru at all. If we'd had another way, another means of killing Aizen, or even possibly just defeating him-locking him away again- I wouldn't have used my Bankai," Rukia offered.

Rin nodded, her eyes welling up considerably at Mamoru's name, catching sight of this Rukia gently pulled the Lieutenant into her arms and held her close, "I think a long overdue talk is in order."

Rin blinked a bit.

"Mamoru isn't the first one that I've had to do this to, and the last one cut me just as deeply but I think, you need someone whose been in your shoes… who knows how it feels to have to say goodbye to someone who was once very dear to you," Rukia concluded.

Rin glanced to Rukia with a very confused look, wiping away her silent tears with the back of her hand.

Rukia smiled, "How about we get some tea and miso?"

Rin bit her lip a little, her left arm coming up to rub her right above the elbow in contemplation.

"I want to tell you about someone who once made me feel as welcomed as Mamoru made you feel. A man named Kaien Shiba," Rukia revealed.

Rin gave Rukia a perplexed look, "Kaien Shiba was the Lieutenant of the 13th squad, 200 years ago."

Rukia nodded in agreement, "Yes. Come to the kitchen, let's talk."

Rin hesitated for a moment.

Rukia gave into the idea that the conversation wasn't going to happen, and instead inquired, "Rin, I know I'm not your favourite person right now, but let me ask you this at least, where is your heart?"

Rin looked at Rukia with an almost offended icy cold glare, "Right here." She placed her hand over her physical heart.

Rukia smiled, "That's the physical heart, yes."

"What Kaien Shiba taught me, what I believe is that the heart we seek to protect lives here," Rukia began making a motion to her heart, then Rin's, and then holding a gently clenched fist, at the center.

She gave Rin a friendly smile before continuing, "Whenever we meet someone, a bit of 'heart' is born between us, and them. Captain Jushiro Ukitake believed there were two types of fights, one to defend life, and another to defend pride. Kaien took that a little further and believed that no matter which one you're defending, what you're protecting ends up becoming the same: your heart. When we die our bodies become the particles that make up soul society, but what happens to your heart? You entrust it to your friends. So don't die alone, Rin. Mamoru didn't, and he wouldn't want you to. Okay?"

Rin nodded with a mildly comforted smile, "Alright."

Rukia gave a gentle smile, "I hope one day, we can mend our friendship Rin."

Rin nodded in agreement, "I'd like that, but first thing's first… who do you think would be best to track down a missing human in Paris France?"

Rukia quirked a brow at the question, "I'm not much for tracking, I will admit but you certainly have my attention. Tracking missing humans isn't in our job description, Rin. You know that quite well."

The younger soul reaper nodded midway through Rukia's response, "Yes I'm well aware of all of that. I'm speaking of a missing miraculous wielder, and and the butterfly miraculous has fallen into the hands of a dark force."

Rukia's eyes widened, "Oh no!"

"I fear humanity's days may well be numbered in our attempt to protect them from the evil that lurked within our own world," Rin concluded.

"Whatever support and assistance the 13th squad can offer is at your disposal on a moment's notice. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, however it would greatly upset the balance of souls if it were to," Rukia stated.

Rin swallowed harshly before replying, "I know. It would mean the apocalypse."

"Please tell me that the other Miraculous jewels have found wielders," Rukia pleaded.

Rin nodded, "Two at least. The Ladybug Miraculous and the Black Cat Miraculous. A young biracial girl is the wielder of the Ladybug miraculous…. And Aizen's descendent is the wielder of the black cat miraculous."

Rukia gave a startle blink before her expression softened into a joyous smile and nodded in affirmation, "Very good choice for Master Fu to make him the black cat wielder. He is after all the true black cat."

Rin nodded in agreement, "absolutely."

The Lieutenant hesitated before reaching into her shirt and removing Mamoru's Lieutenant badge. She gently ran her finger tips over the symbol etched into the leather badge before holding the sacred item out to Rukia.

The 13th squad Captain had tears in her eyes as she accepted the item.

Byakuya cleared his throat from the doorway, "As much as I would hate to disrupt such a heart-warming scene, it seems things are quite dire in the human world. Central 46 has declared it to be an emergency and since you have already made contact with an Agreste family member, Rin, they've requested you be redeployed, immediately."

Rin blinked a little bit at this news before inquiring, "They want me back in the human world right now? What good will I be? I'm still weakened from what I had to do the first time I went, I haven't been home long enough to recover."

"Rin, those who get in the way and cause harm are not those who lack the ability, but those who lack resolve," Rukia offered.

Rin remained quiet as she contemplated the situation. This was under orders directly from Central 46, this was above the Captain Commander with no way to appeal it.

"Rin, the boy you made into a substitute, he's a special friend isn't he? Someone who was there for you when you didn't even realized you wanted someone to be there," Rukia asked.

Rin nodded slowly before swallowing the small lump of fear that had formed in her throat. She was going back, she was at less than half strength right now but she had to go back.

"Remain within your gigai as often as possible, it should help your reiatsu recharge faster," Byakuya offered.

Rin nodded again as she prepared to head back.

"We'll send reinforcements shortly, whatever this evil that took possession of the butterfly miraculous is, we cannot risk the worst case scenario," Lisa added as she appeared beside Byakuya.

Rin nodded again before thoughtfully stating, "I was going to ask my mom to do him a favour. I guess it'll have to wait."

"What favour is that? I will ask your mother myself," Byakuya volunteered.

Rin wet her lips a little, "about a month ago, Adrien Agreste's mother, Therese Agreste went missing. No warning, no fights, no arguments, no sign she was unhappy. She was just gone. The police haven't found any trace of her. Since Mamoru isn't able to track her, I-I wondered if perhaps mother or someone from the second squad could investigate. She's the peacock miraculous wielder."

Byakuya visibly stiffened and Rin felt her breath catch in her lungs. She knew all too well what that sort of reaction from the sixth squad Captain likely meant, and it wasn't good.

"The Peacock miraculous has also met with an unfortunate fate. Nooroo and Dasuu are both in the hands of a malicious heart, Rin, this is the recipe for the exact disaster with the miraculous we considered 150 years ago, when we gifted two of the jewels to the Agreste family," Lisa replied, keeping her tone even, although Rin knew her Captain well enough to know the idea had her a bit shaken.

Rin nodded in understanding, "I shouldn't waste time then."

"I'll send Ichika in a few weeks with something to help your reiatsu levels," Rukia volunteered.

Rin gave the dark haired petite Captain a smile before she headed off towards the human world again.

Adrien flopped down onto his bed and groaned loudly into the pillow.

' _One day of school, I don't even make it past role call... and that girl hates me now because of Chloe. I just wanted to take the gum off of her seat. Was that so wrong? Maybe father's right. Maybe I'm just not cut out for school,'_ Adrien thought to himself despairingly.

"Well geez, don't you look worse than a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. What's eating you golden boy?"

Adrien blinked as he turned towards the window to see Rin sitting there in her gigai. She wore skinny blue jeans and a pink tank top with a pink and white plaid sleeveless shirt that was left unbuttoned. One leg dangled from the open window, the other was perched on the window frame, her back rested against the frame of the window. On her feet were white sandals with a small 2 inch heel. How she was sitting like that without breaking his window, Adrien hadn't a clue. Those windows weren't exactly designed for that, they were designed for maximum light entering the house and not to hang out in.

Adrien blinked again.

"Your eyes aren't playing tricks, I'm really here," Rin offered with a smile as she leapt down from the window, landing gracefully on her feet, her hands went to her jeans and she stuck her thumbs through her belt loops. Far as Adrien was concerned she could easily pass for an average teenaged girl, even her hair style was more casual right now. Minus the pearls on various ropes of hair, her hair was in the same half up style with the same silver and pearl barrette holding her hair out of her face. She gave him a warm smile as she walked over.

She sat on the end of his bed, keeping eye contact with him as she sat with her legs bent up and wrapped her arms around her knees. She rested her chin on top of her knees as she coaxed him, "So you got me to spill my guts to you when I was down, you want to tell me what happened?"

"It was a disaster, and what's worse I'll probably never get a chance to make things right," Adrien confessed.

Rin raised an eyebrow at this, _'Interesting…'_

She kept quiet while Adrien recounted to her how Chloe had put chewing gum on Marinette's seat and he'd tried to remove it only for Marinette to walk in and think that he was actually putting the gum there, then the issue with Stoneheart and how he loved being Chat Noir.

Rin smiled a bit as he mentioned the last part.

"What's the smile for?"

"Oh nothing," Rin fibbed as she met Adrien's eyes before offering some advice, "you know Adrien, words are pretty but sometimes they're pointless… especially in misunderstandings like these. Sure you had noble intentions, but that can be easily misunderstood by being seen doing it at the wrong time."

"So what do I do then? I mean if I get the chance I-I'd like to make things right," The blonde boy admitted.

"Wait until the time's right," Rin stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about when we met in the gymnasium," Rin suggested.

"That hollow that was there, the ceiling crumbling above me… you moved at exactly the right time and it confirmed what I needed to know, that I could trust you. Tell her the truth, verbally of course, but it can't be just words or she may not trust it given the first impression she has. Wait until your actions can back up what you say, that you're not that kind of guy. She'll come around. Bet my life's savings on it," Rin added with a wink at the end and a playful cat like smirk.

Adrien nodded with a slight smile, "Alright – sort of like improve."

Rin nodded as she got back up from her seat and examined his room slowly.

"You know, I never actually looked at your room…. Almost reminds me of the academy library from the sheer size of it," Rin commented.

Adrien's felt his cheeks tint with pink before asking as if the realization had finally struck him, "What are you doing back so soon?"

"I'm on another mission," Rin stated, keeping things vague.

"For how long this time?"

Rin gave a small shrug of her shoulders, "however long it takes, days, weeks, months, years, decades—the longest a soul reaper has lived in the human world is equal to a full human life span, 70 years. Since then we've all been trained in the academy to blend in with humans and take on careers. I'll have to make some adjustments to my gigai so I appear to age as well… or maybe not, come to think of it. Human girls don't grow as long as boys do.. some of them even stop growing around 15 years of age."

Adrien's jaw dropped as he digested the information Rin had just given him.

"Adrien, get your things together and meet me in the car in 5 minutes," Nathalie's voice called through the door.

"Uhh, yeah, of course, Nathalie," Adrien replied and glanced around to see that Rin had already left.

 _'Thanks again, Rin,'_ Adrien thought to himself as he moved to follow Nathalie.

"You'll want your bag," Nathalie stated indicating the book bag on Adrien's bedroom floor.

He blinked a little before grabbing it and following Nathalie out to the car.

They rode in the car in silence, Adrien looking extremely depressed when his father came onto the screen of the car phone for the backseat.

The car stopped.

"You disobeyed me, Adrien. Take a look at that school," Gabriel ordered him.

Adrien glanced out of the car window, "Yes father."

"You will never, I say, never set foot in that school again—"

"Father, no. Please, I —"

"— Without your bodyguard. He will escort you to school and pick you up every day. Nathalie has offered to reorganize your schedule you will continue with your Piano, Chinese, and fencing lessons as well as your photo shoots."

Adrien felt warmth begin at his heart and spread throughout his body as he looked to the black haired bespeckled woman next to him.

"Thank you Nathalie, thank you Father," Adrien exclaimed as he happily grabbed his bag and raced into the school.

Rin smiled to herself from a classroom window above them.

"Class we have a new student today, she just moved here from Japan over the summer. Please welcome Rin Wantanabe, I expect you all to be friendly and show her around," M. Gaudreau stated as he indicated Rin.

Rin stood up and promptly bowed deeply, "Thank you, sir. It is an honour to be here."

The class stared at her.

' _Oh boy, talk about being fresh meat,'_ a boy at the back of the class thought as he watched her.

The floor below them, Madame Bustier was doing roll call.

"Agreste, Adrien."

"Present," Adrien called out.

"Bourgeois, Chloe."

"Present, though I'm in the wrong seat," Chloe replied as she glared daggers at Marinette.

"Chloe, seriously?" Adrien growled, glaring back at Chloe.

"Stay out of it Adrikins, you don't even know what that girl—"

"From what Nino tells me, that's been her seat the past three years. Maybe you should quit thinking you're Paris' Princess just because your Dad's the Mayor, it's always possible for him to lose the next election," Adrien spat back with venom.

Chloe's jaw tightened before she glanced back at the teacher, her temper brewing and bubbling under the surface.

"Girl, did he just—" Alya whispered to Marinette.

"It's an act. Probably so Chloe can try to get some kind of dirt on me," Marinette rebuffed.

Adrien blinked _, 'well that isn't going to do it… so what will?'_

Nino's advice had been to just be himself, he just was and that didn't seem enough for her to even let him have a chance to speak to her.

So he thought back to Rin's advice, wait until the time's right. When would the right time be?

His attention was only a fraction focused on the lessons while the rest of his focus stuck on Marinette, he didn't want her to be angry with him, far from it. He most definitely didn't want a misunderstanding putting a halt to a friendship that could blossom between them.

He thought back to Rin, and her issues, wait until the time's right. That's right! From the moment he pushed her away form that hollow, he'd known that something was off about her, something had deeply upset her, but it wasn't until after he'd destroyed the hogyoku with his bankai, the same power that Plagg gave him as Chat Noir, that he found out why, and how much pain was really behind that radiant carefree smile she always plastered on her face. She tried to smile through her heart break, but her eyes and body language told a different tale from her mouth. It was the same thing. He had to be fully genuine, it was the only way Marinette was going to listen to him, or even give him a chance to be heard.

The right time, that's what he had to wait for.

He heard the pitter patter of rain outside and glanced at the window, grateful that Nathalie always had him carry an umbrella.

"I hope that's over before school lets out. I forgot my umbrella. I'm such a klutz," Marinette whined to Alya in a hushed voice.

"I wish I had a spare," Alya whispered back.

Adrien blinked a bit as he thought about the situation. He had a ride home regardless of any kind of weather, but if Marinette had to walk home in the rain unprotected at all, she could get sick. The right time… silently Adrien hoped the rain wouldn't let up before school ended.

For once Adrien's bad luck seemed to be taking a turn for the better as school ended, he spotted Marinette waiting at the top of the school steps and walked over, pausing to smile and wave to her as he greeted his dark blue haired classmate, "Hey."

Marinette looked away and made a hmph noise.

Adrien let his hand fall down to its side and his smile left as he opened up his umbrella he let his body convey the pain he felt at her misunderstanding, his shoulders hunched low, and his eyes down cast as he began to speak to her, "I just wanted you to know that I was only trying to take the gum off of your seat."

He glanced at her as he continued, "I swear."

Marinette's rigidness began to soften, he had her attention now and so he concluded what he'd planned to tell her, "I've never been to school before. I've never had friends. It's all sort of, new to me."

He turned back towards her and out stretched his hand that held the opened black umbrella, his pointer finger had already let go of the umbrella.

' _Please forgive me, I just want to be friends,'_ he kept that sole goal locked in his mind as he looked at her with a kind smile, hoping his eyes conveyed his only thought as he looked at her.

The girl hesitated before reaching for the umbrella, her hand shook a little as she got near it, and seemed to pull back a little as if expecting that he was just playing around with her and would yank it back from her grip.

He waited until her hand was open near the umbrella again before gently pushing the umbrella into her hand and releasing it from his grasp.

Marinette stared at him, open mouthed for a moment, a look of disbelief on her face as she studied his face.

' _Does she get it? Does she know that I'm not that kind of guy now? I hope so,'_ Adrien's thoughts were running in his mind like a freight train, yet he maintained his composure, until the umbrella closed on her.

He fought the laugh for a little before he erupted in a laugh, to his relief he heard her giggling as well.

He calmed himself and smiled at her silently thanking her for giving him a chance to explain.

"See ya tomorrow," Adrien stated as he headed towards the car.

From behind himself he could hear her sputtering, "Uh-huh… see you toma—tomor-ahh"

' _Oh god she's too cute,'_ Adrien thought.

"Well, well, first day of school and we already have two love birds," Plagg teased from Adrien's shirt pocket.

"Don't be weird. She's just a friend," Adrien replied.

The thought brought a slight blush to his cheeks, and a warmth that spread through his core as he smiled, "a – a friend."

From the side lines an old Chinese man and a turtle like kwami watched.

"Good choice, Master," The Kwami stated.

"Those two were made for each other," Master Fu agreed.

"You don't know the half of it," Rin added as she joined him, not bothering with an umbrella.

Fu was slightly surprised at the sight of her and inquired, "Wantanabe-san, you're back again so soon?"

Rin gave him a sad and remorseful look as she explained, "It seems that Nooroo isn't the only Kwami in danger, far as our intelligence can tell."

"Oh dear, that is not good at all. I have no idea where to begin… the butterfly miraculous was never in my possession," Fu replied with regret deeply etched into his voice.

Rin gave a very heavy sigh before responding, "I do. Before the end—before Nooroo and Dasuu are returned to safety—Chat Noir is really going to need Ladybug—and every single friend he can possibly have at his side."

The turtle kwami regarded her as he asked, "It's that bad?"

Rin remained quiet, watching the car drive away, regret and fear showed in her gaze as she watched him leave she bit her lip, "I'm afraid so. I also know I haven't been that good a friend to him so far. I'm hoping I can get better at it, but humans are so different from us in strange ways."

Master Fu nodded a little bit as he thought back, "Ahh yes… I remember when I met your mother. I was just beginning my own practice. That was, oh gracious, about 160 years ago. Her anatomy was very similar to a human's but her energy…. Your mother is older than I am."

Rin nodded and replied with mild amusement, "I'm nearly as old as you, Master Fu—and that isn't something every human hears."

Master Fu gave a slight chuckle before his expression turned serious, "If what you say is true, Rin… he will need you there for him when that time comes."

Rin nodded in agreement, "Which brings me to my next question, would you like any help with your practice in exchange for shelter?"

"No need for an exchange, Rin. You are young in your world, yet like these teenagers you selflessly risk yourself to protect others," Master Fu replied as he offered to share his Umbrella with Rin.

Rin gave a small smile before stepping under the umbrella, and they headed towards Master Fu's home.


End file.
